Lawrenceville Technology Center

RIDC looks at master plan for its 14 acres between 43rd and 48th streets

RIDC took ownership of Heppenstall Steel’s former 14-acre industrial site in 2002 with the vision of creating an urban technology park. The section of the site that formerly housed an A&P storehouse then chocolate factory has been renovated into a multi occupancy, office/high-tech manufacturing facility. Named the Chocolate Factory, as a hat tip to its past, the 71,000 square-foot building is now home to some of Pittsburgh’s fastest-growing technology firms, including RedZone Robotics, nanoGriptech, Helomics and HEBI Robotics.

The former Heppenstall building, a 50,000 square-foot heavy industrial high-bay facility, was built out for Carnegie Robotics, a spin-off from the nearby National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC). This industrial renovation project was recognized in 2017 by NAIOP as one of the top reuse projects in North America.